Thursday, January 21, 2016

ViaJunkScience.com,
I learned of a recent New
York Times op-ed about a recently discerned correlation
between farmers' markets and certain types of food-borne
illness. Steve Milloy wryly notes that, for once, a report on science
in the popular media reminds us that "correlation does not necessarily
imply causation."

Another point from the article interests
me as well:

[E]ven if our results did identify a causal
relationship between farmers markets and food-borne illness, it would
not be possible to identify the precise mechanisms through which this
happens, and it would be a critical mistake to conclude that the foods
sold at farmers markets are themselves to blame. That is because most
cases of illness are caused by consumers who undercook or fail to wash
their food. Indeed, our results may suggest that many people
erroneously believe that food bought at farmers markets needn't be
washed because it is "natural." [bold added]

I
wouldn't be surprised. Such a belief would be on a par with
the chemophobia
that drives so many into the arms of the environmentalist movement,
which is ironic, given the simple, low-tech measures that are known to
be effective against these very diseases. The "natural hygiene," if
you will, that might explain the correlation also reminds me of an
aside by Ayn Rand regarding said movement:

A cultural
movement often produces caricatures of itself that emphasize its
essence. The hippies are one such caricature. These ecological
crusaders -- who would pollute any stream by stepping into it -- are
the physical embodiments of the spirit of today's culture. Much more
can be said about their motives, but for the moment observe the
intention of the physical appearance they choose to assume. The
purpose of flaunting deliberate ugliness and bodily dirt is to offend
others (while simultaneously playing for pity) -- to defy, to affront,
to bait those who hold values, any values. (from The New Left: The
Anti-Industrial Revolution, p. 147)

Sanitation and
cleanliness are life-promoting values. Being sure to obtain those
values requires a modicum of understanding. "Man-made (e.g.,
chemicals) good, 'natural' (e.g., grown without pesticides) bad,"
would not be understanding, even
if it happened to be true. I might find myself smirking the next time I encounter a hippie at a farmers' market.